5 of the Most Famous Product Recalls Ever

On behalf of Friedman Law Offices, P.C., L.L.O. on Thursday, December 22, 2016.

When a defective product hits the shelves and ends up causing harm to the end consumer, lawsuits claiming negligence often result. The company that is selling a defective product, or in some cases the government, can issue a product recall. During this process, product distribution is halted and those who have already purchased the product are encouraged to return the item or have it modified by the manufacturer. Product recalls are issued to reduce the number of injuries and subsequent lawsuits from a defective product, and they usually cost the company in question huge losses, both economically and in terms of brand reputation.

Recalls don't happen often, but when they do, it's a big deal. Check out our list of some of the most famous (and expensive) product recalls ever issued:

Tylenol (1982)

In September of 1982, Johnson & Johnson recalled 31 million bottles of Tylenol when 13 people in the Chicago area died after consuming them. It was discovered that an unknown individual tampered with bottles in retail stores, adding potassium cyanide to them. Johnson & Johnson spent over $100 million on the recall and relaunch of Tylenol products.

Spinach (2006)

In 2006, 3 deaths and nearly 200 illnesses (several of which were in Nebraska) resulted from spinach contaminated with E. coli. The outbreak was traced back to Dole pre-packaged spinach produced in California's Salinas Valley and cost the industry over $350 million.

Easy Bake Oven (2007)

Hasbro recalled nearly one million Easy Bake Ovens in 2007 after receiving approximately 250 reports of children getting their hands or fingers stuck in one of the toy's openings. There were 77 reports of burns, one of which led to the partial amputation of a 5-year-old girl's finger.

Toyota (2011)

Between 2009 and 2011, Toyota recalled nearly 10 million vehicles due to a problem with the pedals that led to unstoppable acceleration. It was found that the issue was caused by a floormat that did not fit properly and caused the gas pedal to get stuck. The company lost over $2 billion in sales and another $1.1 billion in a class action lawsuit related to the acceleration issue.

Samsung (2016)

You've probably heard about the recent Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall, which happened after several phones "exploded" in the pockets of their owners. In October, Samsung issued replacement phones and several of those also caught fire and caused injury. Samsung is expected to lose an estimated $5 billion over the ordeal and it's unknown whether the Note line will continue production.

At Friedman Law, we're experienced in defective product cases. We team with experts to identify negligence and we're not afraid to take on large, multinational companies. If you or a loved one have sustained injury because of a defective product, contact Friedman Law for a consultation today.

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